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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22513627">does he know?</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/quantumoddity/pseuds/quantumoddity'>quantumoddity</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Critical Role (Web Series)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Early Relationship, M/M, just some soft, just tender boys, soft</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 09:54:29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>873</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22513627</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/quantumoddity/pseuds/quantumoddity</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Caduceus comes home after a long day</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Caduceus Clay/Fjord</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>111</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>does he know?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>He was so achingly beautiful. Did he know that? Could he see that?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Caduceus moved as silently as he could, not easy for someone of his size. It always seemed as if new floorboards decided to creak every day, swapping it around, just to annoy him. He supposed it came of living in an old house. It took on a will of its own. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He hit one a few steps into the bedroom, sending a shiver down the spine of the air. Fjord stirred a little, shifting, the silky blankets moving around him to embrace him tighter, soothing him back to sleep. Caduceus froze, tail whipping anxiously, but there was no more than a light fluttering of his eyelids, a feather soft sigh. His lower lip eased back over his tusks, they seemed to shine in the moonlight. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Caduceus relaxed but he still didn’t move. He couldn’t take his eyes away. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was one of the things that scared him most, that Fjord didn’t know he was beautiful. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It had grown dark so early, he couldn’t work out how long his love had been asleep. He hoped it had been a while, time to sink into a nice dream, something warm and kind. Fjord struggled with sleep, letting himself be vulnerable, giving the more unfamiliar parts of his mind control and not knowing what was coming. Caduceus hoped it had rewarded him this time. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He undressed as quietly as he could, leaving his battered, much abused trainers in the corner so neither of them would trip in the morning. He threw his jumper with the hole in the armpit over the door of the wardrobe and his draping skirt over that. The burnt orange, pleated material would crease easily, he knew he should hang it up but he couldn’t make himself care in the moment. His boxers were kicked lightly into the hamper in the corner. He always slept in nothing at all. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wearing nothing but his own fur, he turned to look at Fjord again, like his eyes were always being tugged in that direction. He slept tucked up tight, almost protectively, somehow always gravitating to the very middle of the bed. Fortunately, this bed had been made for a firbolg who slept sprawled out like a starfish, so there was still plenty of room. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Before he clambered in and undoubtedly woke the half orc, Caduceus spent a moment in the silence of the room. He looked at the book Fjord was reading set on his bedside table, a bus ticket for a bookmark. He looked to the corner, Fjord’s boots set neatly next to Caduceus’ own trainers. Fjord’s shirt and jeans, hung up on the back of the chair where Caduceus would sit and go over the account books for the cafe or jot down a new recipe he’d just got right.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It all made him smile, those hints of their lives starting to blur together. Even though they hadn’t told anyone yet, even though this didn’t have a name, they were something and the signs were there. Their...whatever it was, was leaving its mark on their lives.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Caduceus had faith. There was something about Fjord that made him certain, like every time they kissed, a promise was being fulfilled. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finally realising how much he wanted to curl his body around the half orc in his bed, Caduceus eased himself down. As he’d feared, the bed squeaked and screeched and his weight caused an upset that rolled Fjord onto his back and in an instant there were two golden discs shining like coins in the darkness. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Cad?” a voice raspy and heavy with sleep murmured. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry,” he replied, whispering almost out of reverence than anything else, “I tried not to wake you…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“S’okay,” Fjord tensed and stretched, groaning as joints popped and muscles eased, “Glad you did.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Caduceus had to smile at that, lying on his side amongst the pillows so he could wrap his arms around Fjord. He didn’t get under the blankets, there was no need. He didn’t get cold easily. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fjord immediately relaxed against him, shifting to fit the curve of the other body. Cad pressed him close, unconsciously purring low in his chest at the immediate sense of closeness, the scent of the other man. Without really realising it, he’d moved back and caught Fjord’s mouth with his own, kissing him with a certain fierceness. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh…” Fjord gave a soft, sleepy gasp, kissing him back after a moment. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>After more than a few heartbeats, Caduceus realised what he was doing and drew back, his cheeks warm.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What was that about?” Fjord looked at him through half closed eyes, his mouth pulling up in a smile. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think I just...I missed you,” Cad admitted in a soft whisper, “Coming home to you...I like it…” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A sound that would be a laugh if he weren’t half asleep caught in Fjord’s throat and he settled back against Caduceus’ chest, “I like it too…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The firbolg smiled, resting his chin on the top of his lover’s head, listening contentedly as his breathing slowed and evened and slipped back into sleep. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was beautiful. Achingly, brokenly, unbelievably beautiful. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And if he didn’t know, Caduceus would help him see. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Please consider leaving a comment!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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